Comcast to Tweak Panned Privacy Policy

Comcast Corp.’s privacy policy, criticized by some local franchising authorities as vaguely worded and unenforceable, will be revised in January, officials said.

Gerard J. Lewis Jr., Comcast’s senior counsel and chief privacy officer, stressed that the changes are part of an annual review. Changes are frequently made based on the marketplace and changes in technology. Lewis’ job is to look at state-of-the-art policies each year.

"We always look at good and creditable suggestions" for improving the policy, he added, noting that the cable industry is subject to some of the strictest privacy language in the country, contained in the federal Cable Act.

A regional Comcast executive notified members of the Mount Hood (Ore.) Cable Regulatory Commission recently of the MSO’s plans to revise the privacy statement. That commission, based in Portland, Ore., was most vocal among critics of the policy.

When regulators first expressed concern about the policy, Comcast sent an 11-page letter defending its current policy and indicating that there would be no changes.

The policy applies to the business relationship between the MSO and all of its 21 million customers nationwide.